Three Chinese nationals busted with ivory and a tortoise in Kilimani Area Nairobi has been detained for five days to allow police complete investigations.
The police approached a Nairobi Court through a miscellinous application seeking to detain Shang Li Yan, Xing Wei, Zhang Jie and David Maseno Oseko for ten days on grounds that there is likelihood that the suspects are wanted in other police stations for similar offences.
While appearing before Senior Resident Magistrate Muthoni Nzibe, the investigators submitted that they needed more time to apprehend the respondents’ accomplices as they suspect the four are part of a cartel dealing with poaching.
The Chinese were arrested on 8thJanuary at their resident in Aberdare courts in Kilimani, Nairobi while Kenyan alleges to be an employee of Yan.
It is alleged that neighbours complained of a ‘nauseating smell and upon search, four deep freezers were found containing decomposing meat of various animals.
Also recovered in the suspects’ house were two polished elephant tasks, two human sculpted ivories, five assorted ivory bangles, seven beaded ivory necklaces valued at Sh 4 million, one leopard skin valued at Sh 500,000, one rhino horn valued at Sh 1.8 million among others.
The police accuse the suspects of being at flight risk for failing to disclose their normal everyday activities.
Oseko is yet to furnish the investigators with proof of employment by Yan and has not disclosed his normal fixed abode.
Their lawyer opposed the prosecution application saying that nothing had been submitted to show existence of a cartel.
The court further heard that even existence of a cartel should not stop the state from charging them.
The matter will be mentioned on Monday 14 for further directions.
